Dependence
by AACripwell
Summary: AU. Edward Elric hit the big time at just 16 years old. His assistant Winry Rockbell has been with him throughout it all and has seen the sex, the drugs and the crime that comes with the fame. Ed and Winry's relationship has never been that of a typical employee/employer but when Ed crosses a line how will Winry react?
1. Chapter 1 - The Enigma Himself

**Chapter 1 - The Enigma Himself**

Winry strode into Ed's bedroom. It was a watery 7am and the weak sunlight was inching through a crack in the drapes, illuminating the giant superking size bed and the two bodies lying tangled within. With a purposeful sigh she whipped the heavy curtains open, vigorously. There was a moan from the bed and she saw Ed's blond ponytail disappear beneath the pillow. The naked woman next to him, rolled over with a yelp, trying desperately to cover herself and Winry just rolled her eyes. She was so used to seeing these women in Ed's bed that it didn't bother her anymore. She doubted that anything would shock her at this point. There had been hookers, strippers, groupies, teenagers (although none that were underage – she ALWAYS checked that) and a couple of so-called MILFs in her time working for him. There had been threesomes and orgies and times when she'd had to call out the EMTs because they'd gotten so loaded that they'd passed out in a puddle of their own vomit. Nope, nothing would shock Winry now.

This woman, whom Winry had nicknamed "Precious" (Winry quite often liked to nickname the bimbos that Ed brought back to his place) stumbled up, on wobbly legs and grabbed her clothes from where they were draped across the plush carpet. Her cheeks were bright red and the woman leapt towards the bathroom as Winry moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to the hung-over singer.

"Oi," she poked Elric's shoulder, harshly, drawing another moan from the blonde man. "Edward!" She exclaimed as he tried to burrow further under the covers. She grabbed the corner of the duvet and pulled it, leaving him naked and shivering in the bed.

"Winry!" He yelled, sitting up and glaring at her. "What the fuck?!"

She just smirked at him, trying her best not to let her eyes roam over his naked body.

"You're live on air in 1 hour and I need you dressed and ready to go in 20 minutes," she beamed at him, in her brightest and most upbeat tone. He just scowled at her and she grinned all the harder. She loved frustrating the hell out of him sometimes.

"Fine…"he mumbled and rolled off the bed, standing and stretching lithely. Winry averted her eyes. His body was…well, it was fucking gorgeous. He was leanly muscled, a large Seprent's Cross tattoo covered his sculpted left shoulder and a series of alchemical circles and lines sleeved his right arm from shoulder to hand. His stomach was taut and muscular and a fine trail of blonde hair trailed down his flat stomach towards…

"And take a shower!" Winry yelled, standing up and brushing past him, ready to head downstairs.

He just grunted behind her.

Edward Elric had it all, Winry mused as she wandered down the grand staircase; women, cars, the fancy mansion and enough money to ensure he never had to lift a finger for the rest of his life. He had struck the big time aged just 16; as a singer he had recorded a couple of record breaking number ones that had had topped the charts for more than a few months and had made him the most eligible sixteen year old on this side of the Western Hemisphere. Every girl had known his name and his single _Equivalent Exchange_ had been in the top 10 for a record breaking 28 weeks. He had not been able to walk down the street for fear of being mobbed by throngs of screaming teenage girls.

With the fame came the status. He toured, extensively; each new city bringing a fresh round of parties and networking. He'd met famous faces and hung out with celebrities in every major city in the world. With each new famous face he'd met he'd found himself climbing up the ladder, introduced to rich and famous; partying with the stars.

But with the fame also came the women and the drugs. Ed had no end of women who were keen to throw themselves on him and for a while that is what he had let them do; getting carried away with the endless string of sexual escapades, he played out every young man's fantasy. He'd fucked models and sports stars, strippers and singers, never getting attached to any of them, rolling in and out of each new city with his tour bus, leaving a fresh string of broken hearts behind him.

The drugs were not far behind the women; the endless string of parties saw to that. Sometimes it was a joint here and there; getting high at the back of a house party while strippers danced around him had been an exciting thrill when he was fresh on the scene. But after a little while dope just didn't cut it and he was introduced to fresh heights. His first taste of cocaine was extreme, yet exhilarating. Winry remembered how he'd woken up with the recollection that he had done something awesome, but the memory was just out of reach. He'd of course tried it again at the next available opportunity, delighting in the buzz it gave him and the feeling of invincibility it had offered. Cocaine of course, led on to other things and soon Ed had been experimenting with a cocktail of prescription and non-prescription drugs, much to Winry's dismay.

After a while when Ed failed to produced any further number one hits, he began to feel the pressure from his record label as they demanded more from him. He spent longer in the studio, working late; desperate to recreate the success of his earlier years. But success was not forthcoming and after a while he was dropped from his record label. He tried to stay positive, to show that he wasn't giving up. After all, he was still collecting millions in royalties every year from the album, the singles and the movie that he had starred in. Not to mention the books and interviews.

Ed was still invited to the parties, having made some close friends within the industry. But he didn't carry with him quite the status that he once had and Winry noticed the affect that this had on him, but she was powerless to do anything about it.

Winry had worked for Edward since he was sixteen. She had been eighteen when he had advertised for a personal assistant and his manager, a loathsome womanizer called Mustang, had hired her without so much as glancing at her resume. She supposed she should have been relieved that, as Mustang had put it, "a great arse and pair of tits like hers would look great in the tabloids"; but soon after coming to work for Ed, she had realized that she had bitten off more than she could chew.

The work was 24/7. Although she was paid for 8 hours a day, she was always on the clock. Her work was advertised as administration and secretarial work, but in reality she served as official dry cleaning collector, coffee maker, alarm clock, sobriety tester and in one horrifying incident, criminal alibi. Ed had her personal cell number and would call her at all hours of the day to ask her advice and to ensure that she was doing everything that she could to make his life as indulgent as possible. He was desperate to make it back into the big time, and was working harder than ever, recording with various artists and appearing on radio and TV as much as possible.

25 minutes later and Winry was sat at the bar stool in the pristine kitchen that Ed barely ever used, but had paid a fortune for. She sipped at the take out coffee that she had grabbed on her way to work that morning, relishing the feeling of the caffeine flood her system. She was well used to the early wake up calls with Elric, but it didn't make them any easier.

"Precious" ran down the stairs and Winry noticed that her cheeks were flushed and she looked upset. The woman glanced at Winry with a scowl and then fled the house.

"See you then," Winry called cheerfully to the departing woman as Ed wandered down the stairs. He was freshly changed, his hair was wet but braided and he was wearing the clean shirt that she had left out for him.

She pushed a paper bag towards him and he moaned in appreciation.

Technically he wasn't supposed to be eating pastry, but she knew croissants were his favorite and he always craved them after a heavy night drinking. She wouldn't tell his personal trainer, Hughes, if he didn't.

"You're my savior," he moaned as he tucked into the pastry and she nodded her head skeptically.

"Yeah, yeah!" She muttered, grabbing her purse and the house keys and standing up. "Which car do you want to take?" She asked him, distractedly.

He considered this for a moment. It was a fairly difficult decision when one owned a garage full of fancy cars, Winry noted as she waited for him to make his decision.

"The Lambo." He grinned after a while and Winry resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. The yellow Lamborghini was one of the more _ostentatious_ of his cars. And given they were headed down town to the TV station; she realised that he was obviously planning on making a big entrance.


	2. Chapter 2 - Perks of the Job

**CHAPTER 2 - Perks of the Job**

Winry groaned as her cell phone buzzed next to her head and she opened bleary eyes to check the display; although there was no doubt in her mind who it was. Edward's face was splashed across her screen; his handsome expression smiling up at her from one of his many publicity shots. She remembered the shoot well; Ed had been a spoiled brat, yelling at the support staff that his coffee was too hot and that his makeup was too "girly". She'd found herself, not for the first time, with a massive headache and had taken him to one side, giving him a piece of her mind about his attitude. She had always been the only one who could tame him when he was off on one, and for whatever reason, sometimes he actually listened to her.

"What is it Ed," she mumbled into the phone, pushing herself from her oh, so, cosy bed and pulling her socks on. She had spent all morning with him and Mustang at the TV station in which Ed had been a total prima donna. Thankfully she had been given the afternoon off, but she certainly had not been expecting a call at 3am.

"Winrrrrry," he called down the phone. There was music playing and she recognized the sound of a nightclub when she heard one.

"Are you drunk again?" She sighed. He hiccupped down the phone and started talking to someone next to him. "Edward!" she yelled, rubbing her temples. She didn't need this tonight. "What do you want?"

"Can you pick me up?" He slurred his words and she wasn't sure if he was drunk or high; possibly both, knowing Ed.

She clenched her fists in annoyance. "Why can't you get a cab?" She growled at him; it was literally ridiculous some of the things he had her do.

"I don't want to ride in a cab!" He gasped at her, as though she had suggested he were dragged, naked by his testicles, through the streets. "Bring my car…" he said, and she could hear the smirk on his face.

"You're-" she smacked a palm to her forehead. She knew there was no arguing with him. "Which one." She asked, coolly into the phone and waited, tapping her foot while he chatted to the person next to him.

"Huh? Oh the Ferrari," he said. "I'll text you where we are," and he disconnected the call. Winry seethed for a moment before getting changed; a fresh outfit hanging on the chair in the corner for just such an occasion. Working for Edward Elric, one always had to be prepared.

She pulled up to the nightclub in the grandiose red Ferrari and felt like a prized idiot. Heads turned to stare at the car appreciatively and Winry was glad that the windows were tinted so that the clubbers didn't notice the expensive celebrity car being driven by a woman in a $40 pair of jeans with her sweatshirt on inside out.

She noticed Ed outside the club with a group of women, chatting animatedly with a cigarette between his teeth, and she revved the engine, loudly, pulling his attention. She saw his eyes widen in recognition and he grabbed the hand of the women next to him and pulled her over to where Winry was waiting. Pulling the door open he stepped inside and dragged the large breasted blonde, whom Winry instantly named in her mind as " _Busty_ ", into the car with him. He had a things for blondes, that was for sure, she though to herself. Winry found it amusing to nickname Ed's conquests; there were so many after all that the challenge was now in creating new and imaginative names. Indeed, they couldn't all be called "Dorris" and "Air-Brain" or "Chesty McLargeboobs".

 _Busty_ slid onto Ed's lap and they ignored Winry as Ed shut the door, giggling to each other and Winry sighed, pulling away from the curb with perhaps a little more force than necessary, delighting in the little squeal of pain as they were pressed back into the seat in a tangle of arms and legs.

But then they were kissing and Winry concentrated stoically on her job. Just drive the car, Win…

It wasn't that she was jealous… it was just that there were so many of these women that no-one else had a chance to get a look in. No-one normal and ordinary and down to Earth. No-one like her.

Dammit. She swerved a little, losing concentration and she grimaced at the thoughts her mind had taken. Next to her, Ed was sucking on _Busty's_ lip, loudly and Winry fought the urge to gag.

"Don't do anything that's going to stain the upholstery," she said, evilly, but neither of them was listening to her, too wrapped up in each other.

She had long ago deduced that nothing would ever happen between her and Ed. As his employee it would be downright unprofessional to admit that she had feelings for him, and even if she did, he would never in a million years be interested in someone like her; They were from different worlds. He liked his coffee exported from Columbia and finely ground; poured artistcally into a small shot glass heated to exactly 160 degrees. She shopped in Walmart and ate baked beans cold from the tin. It was never going to happen, not in a million years, but she couldn't help the tiny surge of jealousy that ran through her veins every time she had to see Ed going at it with another woman.

She dropped them off outside his building. The tyres screeching to a halt and got out of the car, rolling her eyes when they emerged from the vehicle, their lips still locked together. Ed pulled away from Busty's lips long enough to grab her hand, pulling her towards the front door, with smoldering eyes. He didn't even acknowledge Winry and the young woman sighed in frustration. Six years she had been working for Ed and he still treated her like crap. She shook her head and walked back to her own car, putting his car keys into her purse for safe keeping; she would give them back to him tomorrow.

The next morning she was sat at the laptop in the kitchen, checking through her calendar and making sure that she was up to date on all of Ed's appointments, when he wandered into the room.

"Hey," she murmured at him distractedly, her attention on her work.

"Hey yourself," he said and slid into the chair next to her.

She stopped working, her fingers pausing over the keyboard and looked at him with a frown.

"What do you want?" She asked, suspiciously.

"What?!" He said, indignantly.

"You never have any interest in what I do… so what do you want?"

He rolled his eyes. _Busted_. She thought.

"Fine." He glowered at her. "There's this club opening tonight…" he mumbled.

"No." She said, turning back to her calendar.

"You know, I don't need your permission," he said coolly. "You work for me remember."

She turned to face him then, her expression cold.

"Yes. I remember that perfectly well. But what I also remember is that you have a recording session tomorrow. That means that Mustang will kick your ass if you turn up to the studio, hung-over, wasted or tired tomorrow morning!"

He just scowled at her petulantly and she resisted the urge to whack him with the nearest item she could find.

"But Winrrrrrry," he moaned after a minute when she held firm. She hated it when he used that tone of voice with her. His eyes sparkled with an idea after a moment. "You know you could come too…" he trailed off.

Winry just scoffed, typing a response email to Ed's manager quickly. "Yeah, right…" she muttered. "Can you imagine? Me. At one of those things? You must be joking."

He just frowned for a minute. She could see him out of the corner of her eye, trying to come up with some way to get her to say yes. She didn't really know how their relationship had gotten to this stage. She was his employee of six years, but she could also handle him better than anyone else. She could tell him when he was acting like a petulant kid and he actually listened to her when she told him what to do. When Winry said no to something, Ed usually took that as no. It didn't stop him from trying to change her mind though. Winry supposed it had something to her being the one constant presence in his life for the last 6 years. His father had walked off the scene when he was young and although he had been close with his mother, she had died four years previously. Winry had been with him through all of it and perhaps that had served to strengthen their connection to something beyond that of employee and employer.

"Fine!" She snapped at him and watched as he smirked gleefully at her, getting his own way. "But only so that I can keep an eye on you! If I'm there then I can make sure that you're not getting totally wasted and there will be no drugs!" He scowled at her, but stood up, turning to leave. "And we're leaving early!" Winry called after him loudly.

"Fine," he said airily. But Winry knew he would get his own way in the end. He always did.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Winry stepped into the club and immediately felt uncomfortable. She knew what happened at these kinds of parties and it really wasn't her. But she'd agreed to this and she was prepared to be a good sport about it. She had even gone shopping for the occasion, something that almost never happened; Ed paid her very well and while she was squirrelling most of that money away for other things, she had taken Ed's stylist Sheska with her and had visited one of the boutique stores down town. Using Ed's name she had been able to get access to a wide range of expensive designer outfits. She was dressed in a shin length leather skirt that hugged her form like a glove. Her stomach was bare – something that she really hadn't been sure of, but Sheska had insisted – and her chest was barely covered by a black lace crop top with small capped sleeves. Her hair hung around her face in soft waves and Sheska had applied a hefty amount of makeup that made Winry feel a little like a Barbie doll.

She saw Ed immediately and noticed with a frown that there were a few empty beer bottles in front of him. He'd already started, she deliberated as she wandered over to where he sat.

"Winry!" He called when she wandered over to him, getting up from where he was sandwiched between two blondes, that Winry was fairly sure were twins. She scowled as he appraised her form, with a raised eyebrow, a strange glint in his eye.

"I though you were taking it easy!" She yelled in his ear over the music and he just nodded, his eyes wild. He smelt of cologne and alcohol and she wondered to herself what else he had been drinking. She noted, grudgingly that he did look very handsome. A form fitting black button down shirt, open to the chest, revealed his tight muscles and Winry noticed that his skin was glistening with sweat. He'd obviously been dancing; perhaps with the bimbo twins, she thought.

"Let me get you a drink," he yelled over the music, signaling to a passing waiter.

"Fine." She said, stiffly. "But just one…"

"Sure thing, Win," he said, offhandedly, leading her to a seat opposite the bimbo twins and reclaiming his place between the women. "Lighten up a bit, yeah?" He said to her before one of the bimbo twins muttered something in his ear and he laughed, wildly.

Winry felt herself redden in anger. God, this had been such a stupid mistake. She snagged the drink from the waiter quickly and took a deep gulp, wincing as the strong liquor burned her throat. Good God, what had he ordered her?

She placed the drink down on the table and glanced around. Ed was busy with Bimbo 1 and 2 practically dry humping him and Winry turned to the guy next to her who was smoking a joint, enthusiastically. He wasn't someone that she recognized as Ed's usual crowd.

"So what's your story?" She yelled over the music. The guy just looked at her with a frown and rolled his eyes at her, going back to his joint and Winry clenched her fists.

Frustrated she stood up, wandering over to where Ed's security personnel, Armstrong, was standing against the wall, his eyes on the crowd. He was a beefy man, with a bald head, but kind eyes.

"Hey Armstrong," She smiled at him and he returned her smile fully.

"Hello, Miss Rockbell!" He grinned at her. "It is so wonderful to see you."

She smirked; Armstrong was always so over the top, she'd seen him just a few days previously. She chatted to him briefly before it became apparent that she was distracting him from his job and she drifted over to the balcony, glancing down to the crowded dance floor. Winry rested her elbows on the railing and considered what she would rather be doing with her Thursday night. She was part way through a really good book and she would much rather be tucked up on her couch with a glass of wine, than here, watching Ed suck face yet again.

"Hey!" She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Ed's brother Al smiling at her broadly.

"Alphonse!" She cried, joyfully, throwing her arms around the tall man happily. It had been months since she had last seen him. Al worked as a TV producer for a travel show and was often away for months at a time, filming in exotic locations. "It's so good to see you!" She pulled back and noticed the way that he looked at her up and down, appreciatively.

"You look amazing, Winry," he called and she felt herself blush.

"So when did you get back?" Last she had heard he was filming in Thailand.

"A couple nights ago," he grinned at her. "Felt it was time to give big brother a visit." His eyes shifted to where Ed had his tongue down Bimbo 1's throat.

"Has he even noticed that you're here?" Winry grinned.

"No, but when does he ever?" Al laughed and Winry found herself smiling. Al was so easy to get along with.

"Let me get you a drink," he said, taking her elbow and drawing her towards the bar. She went with him, noticing how golden his skin had become since she'd last seen him.

Al bought her a drink, asking her what she wanted, which was a refreshing change, and she sat down with him and her wine at a nearby table.

"So what's new?" She asked him, leaning in close so that she could hear him over the thumping bass. He smelt strongly of soap and fresh linen and Winry couldn't help the little inhale of his scent. She reddened and was glad that it was dark … and loud!

Al commenced to tell her about his travels across South- East Asia, from Thailand and Myanmar to Vietnam and Malaysia. Winry listened, enraptured as he spoke, finding his story enchanting. He bought her a few more glasses of wine and after a while Winry was feeling wonderfully light headed.

"There was the most beautiful Thai silk shop," Al was saying. "I'll have to take you sometime." A shadow passed over them and Winry looked up to see Ed standing above them, a strange expression on his face.

"Hey, Al," Ed said, his eyes a little wide. "You didn't tell me you were coming." Al stood up and grasped his older brother in a strong hug. Winry noticed that Ed returned the hug but let go fairly quickly, his eyes shifting to where Winry was sat.

"What are you doing here with her?" Ed pointed at Winry with a frown. "I've got plenty of girls that I can introduce you to." Winry felt herself flush darkly and she clenched her fists in anger.

Al frowned at Ed and said something in his ear that Winry couldn't hear, but Ed just shook his head.

"Hey, Winry," he grabbed her hand. "Come dance with me."

"I'd rather not," she said. Pulling her hand out of his hot grasp.

"Aw, come on…" he moaned. "Please?" She scowled at him.

"No, Ed. I really don't want to," She hugged her arms across her middle, an ages old gesture that she employed when she felt truly uncomfortable.

He just frowned at her and his eyes darkened.

"Fine." He said with a grunt and stormed off.

She sighed in annoyance as Al watched his brother disappear with a bemused expression on his face.

"Sorry about that!" She called to him over the thrumming bass and he looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Why are _you_ apologizing?" Al called back. "My brother is a total ass. I should be apologizing to you!"

She flushed and took another sip of her wine. "Why do you put up with him treating you like that?" Al asked her and her eyes flashed to his. This was dangerous territory and she needed to pick her words very carefully.

"Because he's my boss." She said simply. "I would like to stay employed as long as possible. I have a dog, and bills to pay. It's not really that simple to find another job that pays the same…" she trailed off.

He stared at her, critically before nodding his head and taking a sip from his drink.

"I… uh, I'm going to go to the bathroom," Winry mumbled and stood up, smoothing her skirt around her knees and strode quickly through the dark club. God Ed could really rub it in her face sometimes. It was bad enough that she was here, watching him doing the McNasty with the Bimbo twins, but she had to put up with him speaking to her like that as well? She was going to give him hell in the morning.

Arriving by the bathroom she noticed the huge queue snaking down the hall and she sighed in annoyance; this night just got better and better. She deliberated for a moment before striding past the ladies room and up the corridor a little way to where the large disabled bathroom door stood unlocked. She mentally fist punched the air at her stroke of genius and wondered why no one else had considered this.

Pushing the door open she stepped inside. As her head came up she froze on the spot. Edward was leant against the wall, his hands braced against the sink and the radiator, while Bimbo number 1…or maybe it was 2… was on her knees in front of him, enthusiastically showing him how much she liked him.

Winry's wide eyes connected with his and the corner of his lips turned up as he gazed at her, Bimbo twin's head bobbing into his crotch, frantically. She wanted to turn, wanted to run out of the room in disgust. She wanted to make some sarcastic comment about keeping it in his pants, but the words wouldn't come. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the atmosphere or the way he had upset her earlier, but Winry couldn't take her eyes from his, her feet were rooted to the floor.

His eyes were heavy lidded and he swallowed convulsively, his lips parting in appreciation of Bimbo twin's talent. Winry held her breath, a shiver running up her spine at the intimacy of the moment. Ed's cheeks were flushed, and his hair was falling into his eyes. He reached up with one hand to push it back, and chewed his lower lip. Winry found herself transfixed, she swiped her tongue over dry lips as her breath hitched in her chest and Ed's narrow eyes followed the movement.

And then he was tipping his head back with a moan as he thrust into Bimbo twin's mouth with a guttural groan and Winry was gone, the door swinging shut behind her as she fled the scene.

She left the bathroom and made her way outside the club, quickly. The street outside was busy, packed with smokers and drunk partiers in need of a breath of fresh air from the sweaty heat of the club. She wandered away from the crowds

What the hell had that been about?!

She'd walked in on all kinds of private moments before between Ed and his female friends. But none of them had ever rocked her so deeply. The way that Ed had stared at her while he… it made her shiver.

Ok, so she had a bit of a problem. She'd been a little, teensy bit infatuated with Ed for the last 4 years. But it was just a crush... She could still work for him; could still maintain professional distance and all that. It was just a little harder when he was doing things like staring straight at her while he was getting laid.

She shivered again and sighed. This was the life she had chosen and she shouldn't complain. Rubbing her chilled arms she wandered back inside, determined to tell Ed that she was going home. Mustang would have to deal with the fallout at the recording session because she wasn't dealing with it tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

"I don't give a shit how late he crawled in, you get his ass here and you get him here now!"

Winry flinched as Mustang cut the call off with a snarl. This was becoming part of her job that she hated. Ed was spending more and more of his time out in clubs, doing drugs, drinking pretty much everything in sight and sleeping with as many girls as he could. Yet it was Winry that took the flack when he failed to perform in the studio. From what she could gather he seemed to be getting nowhere with his new album, the songs just not coming to him like they once did. But whatever crisis Ed was going through, Winry refused to continue this downward spiral.

She stormed into his darkened room and drew back the curtains with vigour, delighting in the groan that met the bright eruption of sunshine into the room.

"Winry…." Ed groaned.

"Edward, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and you have work to do. Get your ass up!"

Winry stoically avoided gazing in Edward's unclothed direction. It was a little over a week ago since _that_ incident in the club and whilst neither of them had mentioned it, Winry still felt vaguely uncomfortable around Ed. Especially when he was so decidedly naked.

Ed mumbled something unintelligible that sounded like "coffee" but he did at least lever himself up. Taking a sneak peak, Winry noticed just how shit he actually looked and she smirked a little to herself. Served him right.

There was a feeble groan from behind her as Winry wandered out of the room and headed in the direction of the kitchen. She would put on some coffee like she always did and try to get on with her day.

"Hey," Ed said as he wandered into the large kitchen. It was late morning and she had successfully delivered Ed to and from his recording session. Ed had been subdued since waking and had taken himself off to his private gym as soon as they'd returned. Without looking at him Winry slid a large protein shake over to him, just how he liked it. She continued her way through her email list, she had a huge amount to do today and she didn't have time to pander to him. She also wasn't willing to look up and see his glorious half naked body, dripping with sweat after his workout. She almost shuddered, but repressed it and grit her teeth. She opened an email from Mustang with details of the reporter who would be visiting them that afternoon. Apparently Mustang had managed to snag Ed an interview with the fastest growing women's magazine in the US. They wanted to write about his lifestyle and about how he coped with the pressure and expectation of childhood fame that – Winry thought – was starting to wane.

So engrossed she was with her scheduling that Winry barely noticed that Ed had wandered over to her until he was stood shoulder to shoulder with her. She tensed as she felt his body heat radiating through her own arm. She could smell his sweat and her fingers faltered over the keyboard and she swore softly to herself, having to delete the error and retype the line. She felt her cheeks flush.

"Oh, so that's happening this afternoon?" Ed mumbled.

"Yes Ed, so glad that you read my schedules when I send them round at the start of the week." Winry glared up at him, finding it easier to hide her flustered state behind a cross façade.

He just shrugged and looked down at her. Their eyes met and suddenly Winry felt that electric tingle run up her spine as she remembered the last time their eyes had met in such an intense way and her lips parted as she took a deep, shaking breath.

Ed's eyes darkened and he opened his mouth to say something.

The sound of the phone ringing startled them both and she snatched the handset up, answering it and turning her back on Ed, her pulse beating heavily. Behind her, he sighed and wandered out of the room.

"Hey," Winry pushed her way though the crowds of people to find Ed stood at the bar talking to a group of large chested blondes as he cut a line of coke with his credit card. She rolled her eyes and tapped him on the shoulder, frustrated.

He waved a hand at her impatiently and Winry felt her blood begin to boil. Another nightclub, another night that Ed promised he wasn't going to get wasted and yet here he was again 3am and high as a kite. He snorted the coke

"Edward!" She grabbed him by the shoulder, refusing to let him dismiss her further. She was tired, and fed up. And all this bullshit was giving her a headache. It was her who got it in the neck from Mustang when Elric showed up hungover for his recording session and she was fed up of taking the slack for his misdemeanors. "Seriously, Ed. You promised we'd be done three hours ago."

He gazed at her, his pupils large and dilated and Winry wondered if he was actually taking in anything that she was saying.

"Ed!" She yelled at him. "I'm getting pretty fucking sick of this little routine!"

"So leave!" He shrugged. "What's stopping you?"

She felt an ache at his words. Would he really toss her aside after all this time?

"Fine!" She yelled and turned to leave. His eyes betrayed his surprise. He hadn't really imagined that she would actually go.

She felt a steely grip on her wrist and whirled to face him.

"Let. Me. Go." She said, her eyes wild. She didn't speak particularly loudly and he must have struggled to hear her over the sound of the thumping bass line, but he released her. Perhaps the look on her face had convinced him of her seriousness.

She turned on her heel and left the club, the skin on her wrist burning from his touch. Fuck this. She didn't need this shit any more; enough of dealing with all Ed's fuck ups and problems. He'd have to sort himself out from now on.

She stepped out in to the frigid night's air and shuddered against the cold. She was only wearing a thin sweater and her breath was already fogging in front of her. She dithered for a moment. Was she really going to do this? To leave Ed? After everything?

She slumped down onto the bench a little ways down the street, her head in her hands. It was 2am, her only mode of transport was Ed's car, for which he still had the keys. She had cash so she could always get a cab home, but did she really want to? She sat back against the bench, turning her face to the sky.

Why did things have to be so difficult?

The sound of laughter drew her attention and she noticed Ed meandering from the club, towards his car.

Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs and she threw herself to her feet and practically ran across the wet sidewalk towards him.

"Edward!" She yelled as he opened the car.

He turned to look at her and glared.

"I thought you'd left?" He drawled at her as he opened the door.

"Ed, you can't drive. How much have you had to drink?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit! Ed here, let me-" she reached out to take the key, but he slapped her hand away.

"What do you care? You quit. You left, just like every other fucker out there."

She felt her heart clench painfully in her chest as he spoke. She had no idea that that's how he felt.

"Ed-"

"Go away Winry. Leave me alone." He got into the car and shut the door and Winry felt fear twist in her gut. She stood in front of the car with her arms wide.

"I'm not letting you do this, Ed. You're going to kill yourself."

"Get out of the way Winry!" He started the engine with a rev.

"No, I can't let you do this."

Winry pulled out her cell phone and called Mustang. Predictably it went straight to voicemail.

"Mustang, it's Winry…there's a problem. Ed's trying to drive the Lamborghini home. He's wasted!" She glanced around and noticed the crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle. "This is going to need some damage control…we've got an audience. I neeed you. NOW!" She hung up.

"Move!" Ed yelled at her, his eyes flashing with anger.

"No!"

"Fine!"

He slammed the car into reverse, backing it loudly into the car behind with a sickening crunch of metal on metal. Winry gasped as the crowd around them responded in kind.

Twisting the wheel, Ed made to pull the car around Winry and she saw the only option that she had. She dived for the door handle, throwing it open and jumping inside as he stepped on the gas.

"Get out!" He barked at her as she pulled the door shut.

"No, Ed. You need to pull over." He had pulled out of the quiet street now and was onto the main road. He was driving way over the speed limit and Winry had the sense to buckle her seatbelt as the buildings and lights flashed past the windows.

"Fuck you! You don't care about me! You never did!"

She gasped.

"You're just like everyone else!" He spat at her, turning to look at her.

"No, Ed, I'm…We can talk about this in the morning… just let me drive you home."

Ed said nothing instead stepping on the gas further as he sped through the city. Winry gripped onto the sides of her seat, terrified.

"Ed, be careful!"

She saw the lights change ahead of them before he did and she knew what would happen, but she felt like she was stuck in molasses, unable to react quick enough to prevent the imminent disaster.

He sped through the light, either unaware or not caring that it was red and Winry watched through her window with detached horror as oncoming lights illuminated her terrified form. She could only watch as the lights came closer and closer until they were right on her.

The crash happened at 75mph. The oncoming van had only been doing 40, but it hadn't been anticipating a speeding Lamborghini to suddenly appear in its path. It stuck the passenger door and the driver swore, turning his wheel to try and avoid what had already happened. This only resulted in spinning the two cars and they moved, locked together in sick grinding of metal until they reached a gentle stop against the sidewalk.

The was silence.

 _AN: Apologies for the length of time between the last update. I have not given up on this, although I will admit to finding myself struggling with this story! But hang in there with me._


End file.
